UK’s PM: Royal Air Force shoots down several Iranian attack drones

UK’s Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has confirmed that Royal Air Force (RAF) pilots shot down “a number” of Iran’s drones during the overnight attack on Israel.

Mr Sunak said that “the fallout for regional stability would be hard to overstate” had Iran’s attack on Israel been successful, according to The Telegraph.

The prime minister said he had chaired a Cobra meeting with Cabinet ministers on April 12 to “agree a plan of action” over Iran’s attack on Israel, and confirmed that additional RAF pilots were sent to the region.

“This is a dangerous and unnecessary escalation which I have condemned in the strongest terms,” he told Sky News on April 14.

“Thanks to an international coordinated effort, which the UK participated in, almost all of these missiles were intercepted, saving lives not just in Israel but in neighbouring countries like Jordan as well.”

“I can confirm that our plans did shoot down a number of Iranian attack drones,” he added.

Iran launched its first ever direct attack on Israel on April 13 evening, in retaliation to a deadly strike on its Damascus consulate on April 1.

The Israeli military said “very little damage” was caused by the strikes, and that over 99 per cent of the 300 drones and missiles were shot down by Israel and its allies.